Akumal Halts Turtle Swim Tours Through September

Akumal, Quintana Roo — Tourism service providers in Akumal will suspend sea turtle swimming and sighting tours for the entire month of September, an annual measure aimed at protecting and resting the bay’s ecosystem.

Manuel Jiménez, owner of H2O Adventures, said the suspension is part of the Bay Management and Conservation Plan and is carried out under permits issued by Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).

While the pause is applied every year for environmental reasons, Jiménez acknowledged that September will be an economic challenge for guides and workers, particularly after a tourism season that fell short of expectations.

Akumal is home to roughly 33 cooperatives, 22 of which take an active part in turtle swimming and sighting services — an activity that supports hundreds of direct and indirect jobs.

Jiménez estimated that between 50 and 60 percent of Akumal’s population depends in some way on tourism activities tied to sea turtles, meaning the temporary halt in tours will cut into the income of many families during September.

With the mandatory pause in place, some providers plan to seek other sources of income through boat trips, visits to the lagoon and fishing activities.

Jiménez said those alternatives are limited, but they will keep some economic activity going during September until the suspension period ends and turtle swimming and sighting tours can resume.